On most weekdays, the popular coworking space, Foundry Walthamstow, is packed with people working off their laptops. It’s the same around the kitchen tables in Leyton. And so is the scene in half of Walthamstow Village once the cafes open. The credit for such busy areas across Waltham Forest goes to the rise in freelancing and remote work. The borough is not far from Central London, so that also contributes to the work culture here.
Most of that work runs through a personal Mac. The main risk these workers face when working as a one-man unit or a small group is digital safety. Usually, nobody stops to think about who else might have access to it. That’s because ‘monitoring laptop’ sounds like something that happens to office workers with a company laptop. It’s not seen as something that happens to someone doing freelancing from a coworking desk.
The camera light turns on by itself
That green dot next to the camera icon lighting up when nothing’s recording is worth stopping for. Same goes for a screen-recording indicator appearing out of nowhere while a browser’s just sitting open. Here’s the scary part – someone is remotely viewing the screen more often than people assume. It usually happens through an app that got permission at some point, maybe during a rushed install, and never lost it afterward. System Settings, then Privacy & Security, then Screen Recording, lists exactly what’s allowed to do that on the Mac. More information on this can be gathered from the Moonlock blog as well, which is quite popular among individual Mac users.
Anything unfamiliar there in the list is a risk. If something like ‘client support’ text or a fake Apple pop-up claiming a security issue shows up, followed by some strange change, it’s time to be alerted.
A scam call asking for remote access
Freelancers pick up work from freelancing sites like Upwork, Fiverr, TopTal, etc. and also directly through clients around Waltham Forest. They have probably had a version of this call at some point. A voice, mostly AI-generated these days, which sounds real, is really convincing enough. The call could be anything – for a bad connection, sounding close to a real client or Apple support. It asks you to install remote access software ‘to fix a payment issue’ or ‘verify a banking account or a digital wallet.’
No legit support call needs control of a personal Mac just to sort out an invoice or a login problem. If the request is to install something and hand over the keyboard, that’s certainly a scam or a breach attempt.
A profile you don’t remember installing
On a personal Mac, Device Management should look empty. A profile is usually configured by companies, institutes, etc., so there’s no reason for it to exist on your system. A profile showing up there, sometimes bundled quietly with a free download, a ‘productivity’ extension, or a tool downloaded in a hurry between client calls, can hand over more access than you can think of.
Battery drains faster
A laptop that used to make it through a full afternoon and now needs charging by lunch is another risk sign. When there’s nothing different about daily usage, there is actually a program running in the background that shouldn’t be. The Battery section under System Settings breaks down what’s actually drawing power.
CPU under pressure
Activity Monitor, sorted by CPU or memory usage, might show up a process you don’t recognize. It quietly sits there using resources for no obvious reason. Spotting out that exact process name helps you solve the puzzle in almost no time.
Client access that never got switched off
Freelance client work often means new software and collaboration tools are to be installed on your laptop. It’s part of the project, so you can’t say no to that.
Installing remote software ‘for security checks’ or shared screen access is common. A lot of freelancers wonder can companies track your work laptop this way even when it’s their own device doing the work. On a personal Mac still running leftover software from a finished contract, the honest answer is yes. The safe thing to do is to check installed apps every few weeks and clear out not-in-use ones.
Signs to watch for day to day
A shorter list of the more common signs you are being monitored at work, whether that’s client work or something else entirely, is a bit long one – a fan running while the laptop’s idle, a slowdown during some particular hours, apps opening or closing or crashing on their own and login notifications from locations that you have no connection with.
What to actually do about it
A few things that take less time than a coffee run down Wood Street:
● Check Screen Recording and Accessibility under Privacy & Security. Look for unfamiliar things.
● Look under Device Management for a profile you don’t remember installing.
● Search unfamiliar Activity Monitor processes by name before dismissing them.
● Remove remote access software once a client project is complete.
● Never install anything mid-call, even if it looks legit or the person on call sounds convincing.
● Keep macOS updated. Unpatched gaps are major culprits, so never ignore updates.
● Run a malware scan often. Make it a habit.
The bottom line
A personal Mac has a lot of security features, but in a highly evolving digital world where cybercriminals can keep even the best defenses on edge, you need an external upgrade and some handy tech skills. For example, client software that’s no more in use or a convincing scam call. Your awareness, external tools and help from the right resources make all the difference.
Local news needs your support
We are proud that we were at the forefront of reporting on the recent local elections. We can’t do this without the support of our readers.
Independent news outlets like ours – reporting for the community without rich backers – are under threat of closure, turning British towns into news deserts.
If our coverage has helped you understand our community a little bit better, please consider supporting us with a monthly, yearly or one-off donation.
ACT NOW!
Monthly direct debit
Annual direct debit
£5 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else, £10 per month supporters get a digital copy of each month’s paper before anyone else and a print copy posted to them each month. £50 annual supporters get a digital copy of each month's paper before anyone else.
More information on supporting us monthly or annually
More Information about donations
